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The Sahara is the largest desert in the world and occupies approximately 10 percent of the African Continent. From north to south the Sahara is between 800 and 1,200 miles and is at least 3,000 miles (4,800 km) from east to west. The Sahara is located on the continent of Africa. It runs through 11 countries and a part of Africa known as Western Sahara. Sahara covers most of North Africa and on the west, Sahara is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and on the east by the Red Sea, and to the north are the Atlas Mountains and Mediterranean Sea. Most of the rivers and streams in the Sahara are seasonal or
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intermittent, the chief exception being the Nile River, which crosses the desert from its origins in central Africa to empty into the Mediterranean.
The Sahara Desert has many different landforms. Parts have sand dunes. A sand dune is a mountain of sand. Some dunes can be as high as 600 feet. These dunes are found in huge areas of shifting sand called ergs. Sand sheets and dunes represent about 25% of the Sahara; the other parts are mountains, stony steppes and oases. Pyramidal dunes can be as high as 150 meters, while mountainous sand ridges as high as 350 meters. Sandstorms are very common in this desert. The soil in Sahara is low in organic matter, and often biologically inactive. The soil in depressions is often saline. Animal life is limited to gazelles, antelopes, jackals, foxes, badgers and hyena. |
